$ How Much Is Too Much $?

I think Disney is the one to point fingers at when it comes to overcharging for parking. And then overcharging for everything else after you get in the park...

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Home Park: Knotts Berry Farm!
but also Disneyland and DCA

Has anyone actually been towed while they were at an amusement park before? I've parked in "tow" lots for a whole day several times, and nothing bad has ever happened. Is it just an empty threat? *** This post was edited by Lothar on 4/8/2001. ***

Yes, IMO it is an empty threat. Some of those lots are so big they can't keep track of every car there. And who's to say you didn't go into a store for a stick of gum or something? If you ask me people are just generally paranoid about their cars. The only place to worry about parking at is a college campus -- they'll nail you every time. My $.02...

Silver Dollar City has free parking and they have shuttles to bring you to the gates. But I kinda wonder what that would be like after closing time.

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StandUpFan, who rang up $600 in parking tickets in one semester -- long story.

Silver Dollar City has always had free parking. On top of that they have trams to take you to the gate. Why can't all parks do this? SDC debuted Wildfire this year and parking is still free. Other parks need to look at this and relize it is possible to make money and not have to charge for parking.

Good point, Jeff, it certainly might help with the space issue, especially when parks have to accommodate buses as well. It might be an interesting idea if there were some sort of discount available for the more people you have in the car (adults or those that pay for admission to the park only - infants don't count). Don't know how that would work though.

I don't think Disney overcharges for parking: yes, it is expensive I'll admit, but the lots are great, well-labeled and all, and you get the free trolley/shuttle service (which you never really have to wait more than a few minutes for), and the monorail/ferry (WDW-MK) is free, so for all that, sure, I'll cough up for parking.

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Po!nt of View: A different look at Roller Coasters.
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/index.html
** Updated April 4, 2001 **

Might I say this..SFGAD was 10.00 to park..48.75 to get in the park..only 10% of the rides were operating..soda out of a machine-20oz..2.50...all the prices were seriously inflated this year! I will stick to Hershey and my season pass.

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Coaster Chic
http://pub45.ezboard.com/bcoasteraddicts

Here's how you get around parking at Disney World in Florida. Drive your car to the All Star resorts, pick anyone, Sports, Music, or the newest, Movie. Park right there in the front lot like you're going to check in, but in the back row just to be nice. Then get on the shuttle busses and go to the park. They never check your room key when boarding a shuttle. This takes an extra 15 minutes to ride the bus, but it's free. And when you get back, you can go into the hotel and eat at the food court, which is awesome, just like a mall. There is a guard gate leading to the hotel, but just tell the dude you've got a reservation, and they'll let you pass. Just say, "I'm going to Sports." They've never asked me to show them my papers. Oh, and I have stayed here many times, nice hotels.
At SFoG, there is a cheap hotel about a quarter of a mile away, I stayed there a few years ago, I think it was a Days Inn or something like that. We walked from here to the park. You make a right turn just before the main entrance which leads to the hotels.
At SFMM, there is a Marie Chandlers restaurant and a couple others at the entrance, but it would be a walk and it's uphill, didn't do it, but now I know it's there.
At SFMW, there is a Holiday Inn across the street, park in the back of the lot behind the hotel.
IOA - No luck, tried looking at the hotels but they've got gates, parking is only $7 for the garage, I'll pay it.
At PGA, there is a convention center 1 block away, we parked and walked, but it was a long walk.
I did get into SFO (SFWoA) for free because we got there at 8am and noone was there, and the gates we're open. We drove right in and parked up front.

If you're willing to spend some extra time to scope out a nearby hotel, and walk the extra distance, then you can save the parking fee and use it for lunch.

I hate parking fees, but I do believe that the money probably goes towards a good cause-capital improvements. Some people have brought up parks that have cheap or nonexistant parking fees. Well guess what people, they also don't have as many multimillion dollar rides as the other parks mentioned. If we as the public keep wanting Millennium Forces etc., expect you're going to pay for it somewhere on your trip to the park:(

For IOA - there are several hotels (Radisson, Holiday Inn, etc.) across the street from the main Universal entrance. Not a bad walk - about 10 minutes or so - or just hang out in front of the lobby and catch the (free) Universal shuttle bus.

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Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.

This thread is about parking prices, but I was wondering what line everyone draws with admission prices.

At what point will parks start outpricing themselves?

About admission prices... I will not go over $50 per day for admission, and they had better have a lot to offer for that much!!

With Cedar Point, you can get in for a 2-day pass for some $52 with the discount coupons in their guide book... and that's all good and well because it's 2 days and Cedar Point has a LOT to offer... it is just ashame that Soak City is extra and a whole lot more when you get a ride & slide (2 days w/ soak city).

Other parks really have have to offer a ton in order for me to pay more...

It's tough enough when I got to pay some $10.00 for parking, then the admission... I definately bring my own lunch, because their food just breaks that thin line where spending goes a little too far.

In other words... if parking was free or very reasonable... I'd find other places to spend my money AT THE PARK!!! (either way, they're getting my money... the question is just how!)

Whenever a park talks about the need to maintain and staff the parking lot, they are committing a sin, in my opinion, of failing to examine the park operation as an integrated system. People tend to be willing to pay a little more to get in the gate because so many of them are using their credit cards there. You make them pull out their wallets at the parking lot entrance, you just make them mad. Roll the parking fee into the park admission fee. If it is a wholly-owned subsidiary running the parking lot (I believe that is the case at Cedar Point) then give that operation a kick-back from the gate revenue instead of making them earn it all from parking fees.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.